Contributed by alex101. Posted by aubin on Wednesday, June 19, 2013 at 7:00 PM (EDT)

Vice has put together an interesting (and potentially a little inflammatory) article about the word "punk" and what the author describes as it's rapid descent into meaninglessness:

"Punk" is a totally stupid word. [It is] an ethos or set of ideals, so anything that falls under this gigantic, safety-pinned umbrella gets labeled as "punk." Then, there are all these subgenres of punk, all with equally gross-sounding names.

I asked for input from my friend Brendan Kelly, a notable punk rocker who has been punk rocking for the last 15 punk years in the punk band The Lawrence Arms (very punk). Take it away, BK: "If Crass is punk and Good Charlotte is punk and Madball and Fifteen and the Misfits and Shelter and the Cro-Mags are all punk (and they all are, because no rules, bro), then it's pretty meaningless ideologically, which means it's just another way to sell something, and 'ways to sell something' are either lame marketing strategies on one hand, or propaganda the other."

So basically, if everything is punk, then nothing is punk. At this point, I'd like to point out that punk is the only genre of music where this sort of discussion occurs. You never hear fans of motown at each other's throats about what is or is not "motown" BECAUSE THE TEMPTATIONS ARE NOT REAL MOTOWN YOU FUCKING POSER GO BACK TO HOT TOPIC.

"At this point, I'd like to point out that punk is the only genre of music where this sort of discussion occurs."

not true at all. (although punk is the only genre I've experienced where this type of discussion bleeds into subjects other than the music itself (ie. clothing, lifestyle, diet, etc.)) But every genre outside of mainstream rock/pop has the same "true [genre]" bickering.

First of all: Who gives a shit what this guy says? I dont' think a person who thinks the expression "panties" is perverted is to judge about punk rock.

Secondly: I think it's hard, especially in rock music, to put any band clearly into a musical "style". If you listen to Motown however this is much easier because it's, if I remember correctly, a record label and not a style.

Yeah Dan Ozzi is pretty much Jadedpunkhulk to my knowledge. At the Jaded Punk show last year with Brian Fallon, Brendan Kelly, and Dave Hause, Jenny Owin Young and Kyle Kinane, Dan Ozzi was on the side of the stage running the whole show. When Dave Hause was on stage he basically said "If you wanted to know who is JadedPunkHulk its that guy" pointing to Dan on the side of the stage. So yeah. I'm hoping the next show they are doing in a couple weeks with Plow United, Mikey Erg, The Blank Postcards, & Chris Gethard and some special guest band, is somewhat as awesome as that. Because I almost cried after the last show because it was that fucking good.

Although I wouldn't necessarily say he's wrong, as the days go by I like Brendan Kelly less and less.
And back in the mid-90's, I considered that guy a "god".
He's ego in the last decade has gotten pretty bad.

Since the same backing band performed on every single song, giving it a signature sound. They were like 13 deep, doing live recordings and killing it in one take. That has less to do with your point, but holy shit.

Hah yep. I think I angrily scribbled this exact article in my journal in 9th grade. Let's be honest, the only real good use we get out of the word "punk" these days is by accusing people of not being it to fuck with them. You fuckin punknews posers.

PUNK IS: the personal expression of uniqueness that comes from the experiences of growing up in touch with our human ability to reason and ask questions.
PUNK IS: a movement that serves to refute social attitudes that have been perpetuated through willful ignorance of human nature.
PUNK IS: a process of questioning and commitment to understanding that results in self-progress, and through repetition, flowers into social evolution.
PUNK IS: a belief that this world is what we make of it, truth comes from our understanding of the way things are, not from the blind adherence to prescriptions about the way things should be.
PUNK IS: the constant struggle against fear of social repercussions.

Yeah, I do get what you're saying. But no one can say THAT ISN'T REAL MOTOWN. Is it on the Motown label? Yes? Well then it is. It's not like a genre that can have cases for or against whether it can be considered it. It doesn't matter what the sound is, once they're signed they're on no other qualification is necessary.